The Earth-bet Singularity
by Eggshell Squarepants
Summary: Earth-bet is one of the few Earths in which humanity is brought to the brink of extinction by an extraterrestrial threat. The spirits in the Throne of Heroes are mankind's greatest defence, but they can only take physical form with a Master and a massive power source. Alaya facilitates the summoning, a shard provides the power, and a self-insert takes on the role of the Master.
1. Astolfo

The sun was radiant. Brockton Bay had rarely seen such a bright day, although this did very little to change the reality of living in the city. Still, the sun shone brightly.

And riding it's harsh glare was the mighty Hippogriff, it's master, a noble knight, just as majestic as his steed, basking in the rush of such a high altitude ride, and his master, our hero, with all the grace of a child, clenching his ass cheeks in the face of imminent humiliation.

"What do you think, Master? Is it everything you had hoped it would be!"

Astolfo constantly had the voice and air of an eager child, even when it seemed one should be anything but, and it was even apparent when shouting over the roar of the wind. Knowing him - yes, him - for even a short amount of time, one would come to know that this was not a question but rather a statement made out of glee and exuberance.

Having known him for more than a short time now, his passenger found this trait delightful, but at this very moment, when he was a second away from a bathroom accident, he found it rather insensitive, so he could not help but be short in his response due to this and his agitation. "Ye-yeah! It is!" He lasted approximately five more seconds after this. "Astolfo-let's-go-down-now!"

Astolfo certainly did not enjoy enough time with his mount, but after some bickering the two finally started to descend from over the bay, yet, despite what Astolfo might say, people do indeed look up in a world where humans can fly and leap over rooftops in a single bound, and the pair were noticed.

But before they could fret over their presence on social media later, the pair would have to avoid embarrassing themselves in the presence of a prominent super heroine.

* * *

"...ing to have to deal with it when we get back, huh...Jesus christ, what a pain-"

"Master, wait, someone is coming."

"Wha-huh!? What! Where!?"

As his Master panicked, Astolfo took care of everything he needed to in order to make sure he saved face, as any good servant should do. The Hippogriff made a soft landing on one of apartment buildings it was being flown above, in full view of everyone who happened to be standing at their window, and Astolfo turned it calmly to greet the flyer who was approaching them. If they turned and stopped to greet them before they even came into view it would make them look pretty cool. Moments later, a member of the city's unmasked superhero ream glided down and floated just above the roof. Fair hair, creamy skin, thin pouty lips. She was a sight in her white and gold spandex and cape, and the tiara made her look like a warrior princess, but Astolfo needed to close his jaw and return his eyes to their normal size. This was their first encounter with a 'cape'. He needed to display control and professionalism in this encounter.

Glory Girl on the other hand, was treated to the sight of the most feminine and unearthly girl she had ever seen, dressed in the most elaborate and regal looking costume around that didn't detract one bit from her beauty and elegance - the neck of her white cape was lined with fur and she wore white and gold armour over black underclothes. She really liked her style, and honestly thought this girl looked like an angel, but figured she should probably try to display some professionalism here, she was a big name after all and she was technically representing her family, even while on spontaneous outings like this.

Astolfo was awestruck by this woman, he felt even more giddy than usual.

But he needed. To stay. Professional.

"Hi."

"Hiya!"

The Hippogriff made a sound that the Astolfo couldn't decipher.

"Woah, that's one helluva a way to fly! Is that thing real?" Glory Girl and this new cape felt they could trust each other right away. She couldn't help but notice she was wearing her 'girl' smile. "Sorry. You were just flying around town all over the place. I happen to notice. People are kind of uneasy."

The Pink Rider was making noises of agreement and nodding vigorously as she preened at the attention. A giddy sound of - came out from the back of her throat. "Oh-shucks! Thank you for noticing! And she's absolutely one hundred percent real! You can touch her If you want! Do you want a ride later on! Even though you can fly-"

"-Astolfo!" Oh, and there was some guy behind her who looked like every boy she passed in her school corridors. His eyes were popping out of his skull and he looked like he was being caught naked. When the poor guy at the back finally got his bearings he covered the side of his face with his hand and looked off to the side. A little late at that point, even more so that he didn't have a mask on, but, looking at his plain clothes, Victoria didn't really know what he was even doing here.

Although he was just as awestruck - and smitten - he couldn't bear to talk to this woman while there was any excuse not to, and right now was a good excuse to get into a spat with his friend, no matter how rude it was. He turned to his companion. "What're you doing!"

"I'm making a new friend of course!" The wide smile never left his face as he responded to the frantic whispers. Even though they had no place to be and this was obviously a great heroine in front of them, his Master was admonishing him for 'dragging things out' again. Honestly, he thought his Master just didn't like being seen by people. "You need to get out more. Honestly, you don't need to be so shy, I think you're great!"

This only seemed to make the whispering more frantic. "What! No! That's not why you're doing this and you know it! Just-Look, Rider, we need to go."

Those last words were spoken with a sudden authority if the look on the girl's face was anything to go by. It looked like they were about to make off right there, but Glory Girl didn't watch them argue with each other for long before she spoke up.

"Hey, hey! It's cool." She immediately gains their attention again. "You guys are new, right?"

"We sure are! We're here to help humanity stem back the tide of death and destruction from these dastardly villains!"

"Um... yeah. We're, uh-We're good guys. So, um... yeah, you don't need to worry about us causing any trouble."

Some semblance of normalcy was regained. The shy one was speaking more clearly now, trying to reassure her. She had that effect on people.

"Cool! You guys need to be careful though, it's seriously dangerous out there for newbies. The protectorate can definitely help, but you do you." The rest of the family weren't going to believe that there'd be a Griffon in air with them now. "I'm just here because you caused a little panic. Don't sweat it though, I'll put in a good word at the Rig, let them know you're on the up and up. No need to thank me!"

Apart from a briefly perplexed look on their faces, Victoria was satisfied they'd understood all the important stuff, and on that last line she was already off to whatever she was up to on this Saturday morning.

Astolfo was already missing her.

"Aww, she was nice! I hope we didn't take up too much of her time! I wonder how she got in costume so quick! Do you think she used a phone booth!" Meanwhile, his quieter half was muttering to himself just as much, although about very different concerns.

"...Air zones?...ah shit, I totally forgot about those..."

* * *

"Do you think New Wave will call us for missions now? She really liked my Hippogriff huh! Do you wanna order pizza?"

Astolfo was shaking his arms in glee as he sat on the bed of their dingy motel room. His Master was quite lethargic on the other hand, he hadn't moved much from his bed. The ride sure must have taken a toll on him. Astolfo had been going off for so long now that his roommate almost didn't catch the question.

"Huh? Oh...Yeah, sure. We'll get some." Astolfo was on him in a second. "Ah! Wha-Astolfo what?"

"Master." Master might not have been the most sociable person, but he had been "Are you okay?"

He rubbed the tiredness from his eyes before he replied. It was 3:23 PM. "Yeah, I'm fine."

Astolfo was quiet for a moment.

"Yeah, look. We really should get to work now. What were those...uh... those three guys' powers again?"

His Servant didn't respond right away. In fact he huffed and then went to lie down on the bed with his legs dangling over the edge. "I don't know, haven't you found out by now."

"Yeah...it's just, I had to get my bearings first, and money was an issue, and I barely had any time...Look...There was...c'mon...uh...the one that could zap us. Blaster. And I think he was a striker too. And brute. Then there was the one with the shaper power. And...-"

"-the schemey one!-"

"-yup, the schemey one. Yeah. Thinkers, I think they're called." The classifications for powers were actually very fun to learn for both Astolfo and his Master. It was like a game trying to classify and sort capes with these names and devise strategies against them, because they were were doing 'professional reconnaissance'. Not to mention it made it much easier for them to remember what kind of danger each cape posed, since they weren't forced to rely on their memories for such important information. They would just stay away from strikers and brutes, keep an eye on their surroundings with shapers, and generally be wary of thinkers. The discussion had revitalised them both. "Now we just have to find them, eh? Let me look em up. What was the shaper called, it's on the tip of my tongue..."

These capes were why they were here after all. Humanity was in a bit of a bind you see, and unlike the countless races in their galaxy, humanity had a collective will to survive strong enough to act when people themselves were unable to or unaware of the danger their species faced. A will with only enough power to act through it's servants, and the complete souls of exceptional individuals from humanity's past, present, and future. Through this, it would work against the alien parasites that were the cause of so much conflict on the planet right now, conflict that would eventually lead to the destruction of mankind.

"...ah, Leviathan."


	2. William Shakespeare

I can't imagine I looked very happy as I read article after article on the computer in front of me about the End-bringers. Immortal monsters that killed millions at a leisurely pace of three cities per year. Leviathan was wasn't just a shaker. He sunk entire islands with his dominion over water. He was a God. And he was just as fast. Faster than any cape. Possible faster than even Rider. Was he faster than Medusa? Faster than Pegasus? I couldn't do this. I misjudged. If this monster was so fast, there was no way it wouldn't be able to reach me in battle if it wanted to - I still had to stay fairly close to my Servants for them to fight. I underestimated my task because I thought my enemies would just be powerful humans, and even the most powerful of capes would struggle against a mid-tier Servant. I couldn't care less for pride right now. Forget trying to be something more, I wasn't cut out for this...

"Master?"

Astolfo was in my personal space again. Damn him. I didn't want him to see my face while these thoughts were in my head. "Rider, take a rest. I need to conserve my energy."

The shimmering died down quickly, his body dissolving into the air without a fuss. I was left alone in the room again. The only light now came from the edges of the blinds where the sunlight slipped in. The rays of light only exposed the suffocating amount of dust in the air they shone through. It made me feel stuffy all of a sudden. I also noticed how cluttered the room was. God, I was messy. All the beer bottles on the floor didn't help either. I needed some fresh air.

As soon as I stepped out of the room the cold air assaulted my face. My ears were the first to go numb. The ever present ambient noise of 'the outside' was there; The distant rolling of rubber along tarmac; the soft howling of wind in my ears; the cacophony of chatter when you reached the busier parts of the city. Talking a walk wasn't easy for me, not only because of the lack of safety I felt being out without a Servant by my side, but also because I just wasn't used to going out. Despite my inner turmoil I still felt self conscious walking by people - which was a shame because Brockton Bay was a metropolis and it's sidewalks showed that - and I wondered if the shower this morning was enough. I had used soap but I couldn't be bothered to shampoo my hair because it was such a bother. How fast did my hair get greasy anyway? I hoped people couldn't tell.

I saw the subway shop Rider and I frequented across the street. I had enough pocket change for a snack. I joined the people waiting at the crossing. I waited for the the stop to turn green. I waited for the cars to come to a complete stop before I felt comfortable walking out. I entered the shop, waited in line behind the man in the coat in front of me, politely asked the pretty girl for my food, watched her prepare it impassively, felt inadequate a little, and went on my way to find a park bench.

At the end of all that mundaneness, I was much calmer than I had been in my room. With each bite came a little familiarity. Beef was my favourite. I sat there, enjoying my food, for a couple of moments.

"Alaya." My voice came out as a half whisper. Even though I was pretty much alone in the park, I still couldn't find it in me to speak loudly for fear that someone would hear me. God, that was so pathetic. I really fucked up in thinking I could do this. Alaya, I know I've already spent so much time in this world but isn't there a way I can back out? I'm sorry I wasted your time but this is too much for me. Wait, could she even hear me anymore? If she needed someone from another Earth to save this one then she probably couldn't do much here. I was cut off as soon as I made that deal with the World. It has to be those monsters. Alaya would have sent an agent herself if she could. And if I know my lore, then Gaia wouldn't have let them persist if she could help it either, right? They couldn't be natural. Jesus. Just how powerful were they?

Why didn't I think this through?

Even though I was sat down my breathing grew deep and quick and my heart felt as if I had been waiting to be executed. I was feeling self conscious again, but this time I was hyper aware of my body, like a feeling of impending death that I couldn't shake. It was like standing on the precipice of a tall building roof. Your footing was as stable as anywhere but you knew that if you lost it, no matter how unlikely, your life would end. It was like the first time traveling in an aeroplane, where you felt it in the pit of your stomach, every time the plane dipped suddenly, how you were going to go out. Only without the comfort of my mother's hand around mine. I felt so sick. I got up and paced and paced and paced, wringing my hands together. I was so restless! I could barely contain the urge to run and jump. I was so jittery!

I pushed through the dizziness though, threw the half of the sandwich that was left into a bin and made my way to the library.

 _You just need to calm down and then you can think with a level head._ I couldn't let myself get hysterical like that. It had happened before in life and I could never look the people who saw me like that in the eye ever again unless they were family. Walking would at least burn off some energy. When I arrived I browsed all the shelves I could. The act of mindlessly scanning through titles was therapeutic. Reading was supposed to be something everyone did on a regular basis wasn't it. Before I got to worrying about the mess I was in I should probably start trying to better myself in the small ways first.

As I came across "Macbeth" I was struck with a thought. What if I showed Shakespeare around here, in the modern day. He'd be chuffed! There was no reason I couldn't take the time to do something nice for someone else right now. _There was no hurry_ , I forced myself to think.

I got out of the library and found a quiet alley. William Shakespeare must have made it into the Throne. I could just picture him being all suave and elegant. The call was sent, now to wait for-

"Oh, how dost thou, sweet lord!" His first words - that were shouted out of his mouth mind you - weren't what I expected. Or maybe they're exactly what I should have expected. The refined gentleman in front of me wrapped in frilly Elizabethan clothes had his arms spread wide open. I looked around to see if anyone caught that. He was not what I was expecting. "I take it you are my Master?"

"Uh, was that a quote from one of your plays?"

He made a strangled noise, so suddenly I thought we had been attacked, and he lifted a hand to his heart.

"O my heart! Could it be that my Master does not know of my work?"

"No, no! I just don't know all of it. There's just so much and-There's just a lot to take in. We're actually right next to a library-"

"Say no more Master!"

And just like that he dragged me out of the alleyway and I had to point out to him where to drag me to get to the library. We pulled out all his plays that were available and even some non-fiction about his life. We actually haven't even been properly introduced but that was alright. Normally, I'd be bored being taught about literature I had no interest in, but as I sat there watching and listening to this legend in front of my very eyes I was captivated. Didn't learn anything though.

"...so, where do we find ourselves now Master?"

"Huh? Oh..." I had forgotten all about that for a couple of minutes- wait, hours?! "Shit. We've been here so long I'm hungry again."

"Hmm, you have not answered the question Master. Is it so bad that you cannot tell me? You must truly be in a predicament..."

Shakespeare really wasn't helping. With a sigh, I told him him how this wasn't a holy grail war. I explained how we weren't in his timeline, my deal with the World, what the enemy was, and hoped he wouldn't be a coward like me.

"Ah, magnificent! Wonderful! Brilliant! Amazing!"

"...What."

This person didn't feel real.

Oh wait. Heroic spirit.

He was talking exaggeratedly again, waving his arms about willy nilly. This time I couldn't bear to look around us and check if anyone caught it. We were in public!

"Cruelly ripped from your world," "Well, actually-" "Thrown helplessly into danger, his demise uncertain," "Please don't say things like that about-" "...well, all but assured." "Oh..."

My voice was barely audible next to his but at the end it was practically a whimper.

"I am eternally grateful to have been summoned for this momentous undertaking! I, Caster, shall do my best...to watch it all attentively!"

"Wait-What." What did he just say? "But...you're not going to help? Shakes-Caster, I-look, I'm not gonna lie, I'm kind of scared here, man." Caster wasn't some great warrior in life, he was a writer not a fighter. That was the only reason why I gave him even a hint about my doubts...well, it was more of a panic attack really. He was just normal guy, but, as a heroic spirit, surely he has some combat ability.

Shakespeare leaned over the table and clasped his hands on my shoulders suddenly. "Ah!"

The way he grabbed me so firmly - as if I wouldn't listen to him otherwise - and the way he spoke reminded me of my grandfather, who I would visit, rarely and briefly, in his later years.

"You are afraid. Are you not. Who wouldn't be." His words were soft - it was such a stark departure from what little I had heard of him I was holding my breath. "But you mustn't feel ashamed Master. You are fully capable of overcoming that fear and rising to the occasion. If you do not, you cannot possibly call yourself a man. Cowards die many times before their deaths, the valiant taste of death but once."

What was he saying? That I could rise to the occasion? Did this heroic spirit see something in me that I couldn't?

"You absolutely must do this."

"..."

I knew that. I had already told Astolfo about the situation. Not to mention that several other Servants - whom I thought to briefly summon and bring up to speed - also knew about the task. These were all exceptional individuals who had far surpassed humanity, yet I couldn't help but compare myself to them and think, _What would they think if I gave up?_ Diarmuid's unwavering loyalty was flattering sure, to the point where I could be despicable and he would still stick by me, but I couldn't bare to not at least try to be deserving of it; and, Medusa may look and even act ruthless, but she still has strong morals at heart. A lot of the Servants did. At the thought of all these great men and women thinking less of me...

I could only nod.


	3. Cú Chulainn

A/N So I'm sure you've noticed by now, but I'm not really that stringent about having a coherent plot. I don't mind if I fumble my way through one as long as I learn something about writing them. That being said, if you want to try and suggest some things feel free. I haven't read Worm all the way through, it's been a while anyway, and I'm sure I don't need to mention to anybody how massive Fate lore is, so if you guys wanna have a discussion on what makes sense and what doesn't, please do so. Lastly, this is my first time writing online so forgive me if I don't know the proper conventions when replying to reviews, but please, don't hold back. Hope you enjoy! Tear me a new one!

EDIT Gáe Buidhe inflicts wounds that do not heal, Gáe Bolg's wounds just don't heal competely

* * *

Ireland's greatest hero sat crosslegged on the edge of a dilapidated apartment building in an area the locals called 'the docks'. It wasn't what one would call 'well off'. This city's import/export business had apparently dried up, and this was one of those places where destitution had turned into illicit activity, and it was known for being an area of the city you didn't want to be walking through at night. More importantly, it was a place where Cú Chulainn was most likely to find the ABB. The gang led by a well known villain who had fought off scores of heroes. Lung.

His Master was terrible at gathering information. He may not have been asked to act as a scout for him, but with all the information gathering Cú had been doing for him during these nightly excursions, which were the only times he was let out, he might as well have. Why he couldn't just learn about the city's gangs during the day while he was frolicking about with that pink pipsqueak, Rider, was lost to Lancer, it would be basic common sense to familiarise yourself with a city's worst crime ridden areas so you could avoid them, and he wouldn't have to spend so many of his nights looking for people. The lack of action was killing him.

However, if the previous nights were anything to go by, then there was almost certainly going to be action tonight. A small time group of villains had crossed Lung when they hit his casino sometime ago. There was villain activity in Brockton Bay all the time, sure, but that was just mostly your regular, run of the mill, criminal gatherings, like Hookwolf's dog fights. There were no organised cape fights one could kindly ask directions to for a good tussle. No, those only happened semi-regularly and they were unpredictable scuffles between a fleeing villain and a team of heroes.

Those in the criminal underground knew for a fact there was going to be trouble in the week or so after the casino was robbed though, and Lancer had been especially diligent in prowling the last couple of nights.

He kept his ears on the city.

* * *

"Muh...Motherfucker!" Lung had just been sprayed in the face with pepper spray, which would have stung like hell for anyone else, but with him wreathed in his own flames, it acted like a flamethrower. Killing weaker foes was always only fun when they didn't cause so much pain, and this one had irritated him to no end with a seemingly never ending amount of bugs, and had just boiled his eyeball. Now, he was only concerned with snuffing this nuisance out and going about his business.

Fleeing from the irritated man, Taylor wasn't deluded about the situation. She knew that she had been the one to put herself in a position from which she was unlikely to escape. It was everything she could do to stop herself from being crushed by an A-lister.

So concerned with taking his anger out on this interloper, Lung was oblivious to the rapid clapping on top of nearby buildings. The sounds ceased seconds before Lung swung his arm back to incinerate his pest, and just as he was about to release, the ground next to him exploded into a shower of gravel and the crunch of bone reverberated right through his body as a blood red spear pierced his abdomen. He stayed screaming - an angry, animalistic, growling sound - as he was lifted up and swung so hard the force sent him sliding off the pole and crashing onto the street down below.

Taylor's whole body spasmed in fright when she heard the scream. She was prepared to be incinerated by a torrent of flames and had tripped involuntarily after she heard the loud noise, but when she turned around, she couldn't believe what she saw. It looked like Lung was being flung like a chunk of meat flicked from a toothpick. She wasn't put at ease though. The 'toothpick' looked like it belonged to the devil. It was veined all over and practically glowed red. It was unnatural.

Her sense of disbelief was taken further when she heard someone speak with what sounded like glib in this situation.

"What a shame. I thought you'd be tougher."

Only when he spoke did Taylor notice the man in the blue jumpsuit. It was skintight, and only had two metal pauldrons for protection. If he was a hero Taylor would have assumed the costume was more for aesthetic appeal than anything else. Her fear wasn't abated though. She held her breath as she watched the man lazily crouch over the edge of the roof. Despite his disappointment in how quickly Lung went down, Lancer smirked. He had heard about Lung's powers, thanks to his flunkies. He waited for him to get back up.

The thundering crash signalled his arrival on the ground. Chunks of street were now scattered around the crater beneath him. To his delight, the villain had grown more monstrous already. Lung was changing faster than ever. The countless toxins running through his body were stalling his regeneration. The stab wound in his side also wasn't closing, and it kept bleeding, but his body healed around it. He paid it no heed, eventually he would be big enough that it wouldn't matter.

"You must be one ugly bastard if you hide your face like that. Go on. Use your power, I'll wait."

For the man who had fought off Leviathan singlehandedly, this punk in front of him wasn't taking things anywhere near serious enough. The condescension in those last words alone was enough to send Lung into a rage.

Lung's arm shot forward as he unleashed a torrent of flame towards Lancer. It hit only air. His target was then right in front of him, a bright red line streaking across his vision as Lancer twirled and spun his spear tip across Lung's body. His arms and body were only a blur even though his feet were planted on the ground. The metal scales might as well have not been there. Every counter attack Lung made through the onslaught was batted away instantly. Gashes were appearing all over his body as he was pushed back.

In midst of battle, it occurred to Lancer that he had made a grave miscalculation that would end up costing him the fight.

He was too powerful...

...and if he was too powerful, it might as well not be a fight.

His cursed Lance inflicted wounds that could never be healed completely as long as it existed.

His opponent could not fully regenerate flesh taken by Gáe Bolg's cuts, he had no idea how his power would react to that.

Therefore, he might not get to fight a dragon.

That wouldn't do.

However, just as Lancer was about to hold back his lance's cutting edge, he slipped. He had not put enough strength into a step and it threw him off. Lung's claws were suddenly coming at his chest, and he barely managed to block on time. He struggled briefly against them as they pushed against the shaft of his spear, but Lung doubled down and followed through on the swing, and Lancer was launched across the street. With flexibility not unlike an animal, he righted himself midair and landed in a slide using the the metal on his feet. Sparks flew from where his soles scraped against the ground.

His mana pool had just been cut in half.

"Tch...Looks like you are capable of defending yourself." What had just happened was unthinkable for a Servant in the midst of battle, but all it meant for Cú Chulainn was that this fight just became a hell of a lot more interesting. "Don't let it get to your head, buddy! Now...show me what you can do!"

His talk was only full of confidence and fire. With a feral grin more beastial than the monster across from him could ever be, Lancer shot off, his long strides carrying him swiftly towards his opponent. This time Lung didn't even bother trying to attack from range. He set himself on fire again with an explosion of flame and stood tall at an imposing 8 feet against the fastest and most aggravating parahuman he had ever seen barreling towards him.

Lancer abruptly came to a halt and turned his head to the made Lung pause only for a second before he heard it too.

A hellish beast bounded into the fray and into Lung's side. It's teeth dug their way into his stab wound hard enough to make Lung roar in agony. There was a whistle. Lancer halted himself abruptly and braced himself against an unknown threat; there were more of these creatures on their way. His mouth was pressed into a thin line as he watched the massive boar-like creatures gang up on his opponent and interrupt his fight. His expression turned to one of confusion however as they completely ignored him. He remained aware nonetheless.

He searched around.

 _Back on the rooftop._

"-is getting creamed by that fuck you do to him." "Pepper spray, wasp and bee stings, fire ants and spider bites, and those cuts are scarring. He's not holding up too well. Gonna feel a helluvalot worse tomorrow."

The Undersiders watched with Taylor as the man who had been fighting Lung made his way up to them like a cat, while Lung was being dog piled on the ground.

The gravel shifted as his feet met the roof, the ominous red lance looming over his side at 2 metres tall. Lancer wasted no time.

"Oi. Those beasts, are they yours?"

"Yeah. Don't worry. They're completely tamed." The chatty blonde answered him immediately after taking a quick glance. Cu thought she rubbed him the wrong way, with the way she looked at him and her smile, it stunk. "Thanks for that by the way. We owe you one."

"Don't thank me. You shouldn't start something you can't handle." Cú's response was short. He thought the powered humans running around in this world were ostentatious. At best they looked like they were trying too hard like the skull guy, at worst they were like the kid in the frilly shirt with half his chest bared open. Not that he was one to talk. He looked over at the blonde girl.

 _Why the hell is a child running around in something that tight?_

As if the world was punishing him for his thoughts, his mana dropped significantly again. He gave a grunt of dissatisfaction. "You interrupted my fight, and just when it was getting good. What do you have to say for yourselves?"

Lancer was still pissed that he didn't get to see it through, but the kid in the black skull mask replied amicably.

"Sorry. You don't usually come across who someone who wants to fight Lung..." His artificially deep voice sounded like an attempt at being intimidating to Lancer, despite his friendly demeanour. It made sense for a villain in the criminal underworld, which Lancer assumed he was, and it hid his voice well, but it was a little laughable to him. Sure, Lung didn't scare him either, but he was more of a berserker. His actions spoke for him. He didn't really try. It only made Lancer more unimpressed with parahuman society. All these people trying so hard to form an image.

No matter what he thought of capes however, their powers were unpredictable, diverse, and on the level of magecraft, so they were technically capable of hurting him. Not these runts though. Nevertheless.

His Master didn't seem like a stick in the mud, but he made it clear that there were bigger problems to deal with, and that Cú couldn't endanger himself unnecessarily. He needed to end the night early and inform his Master of his mana suddenly being cut.

"-Someone from the Protectorate shows up, finds two bad guys duking it out, they're not gonna let one walk away. You two should get out of here." Cú turned back to the conversation just in time. A hero was about to show up too, all the more reason to leave. Cú's Master made it especially clear he was not to interfere with any heroes. The vixen and her teammates were getting on the monstrosities that had mauled his enemy after giving him and bug girl the tip. Cú didn't waste any time, he leapt off the roof with the enough force to ruffle everyone's clothes a little bit and started to make his way back to base - the dingy motel - in spirit form.

* * *

Cú opted to stroll through the front door in physical form, instead of just appearing in the middle of the room in the late hours. Better that way so as to avoid any embarrassing situations with his Master. He made his way down the corridor in his casual clothes, a Hawaiian shirt and a plain pair of trousers.

Not all of his time was spent looking for fights.

Muffled voices reached him, although he hear better than any human, he couldn't recognise them.

"-were you...doing out?"

"Nothing...was just out..."

"You've been acting weird lately! I can tell!"

"I sincerely hope I haven't caused any trouble between you two. It would make me deeply sad to know I was the end of peaceful times between two lovers-"

"NO!" "Huh? What do you mean?"

The closer Cú was getting to his Master's room the more sure he was becoming about who was disturbing the whole residence with their arguing, and what had caused his little issue.

"Master, have you seriously been summoning Servants the whole time I was out." Cú didn't bother to hide his displeasure as he opened the door. It was probably going to creak a lot more often than it usually did from now on. The slam made his Master jump, but also caught Rider unawares, and another guy at the table who was the only one smiling. "A warrior wouldn't be caught dead in something like that. I take it you're Caster."

"Oh, Cú! I had..." His Master jumped at the opportunity to address another topic, but quickly lost his voice as he thought of an explanation for his Servant. "...completely forgotten about you. Sorry, hehe?" A shrug and a sheepish expression prompted an involuntary sigh from Cu. He shouldn't have expected more.

"So why are you summoning so many Servants all of a sudden? Are we finally making a move?"

Lancer stood and appraised his Master as he said that.

"Yeah! And we're going to start by cleaning up this city!"

Astolfo's outburst caused a look of confusion on Cú's face, and one of embarrassment on his Master's. "Well..." He looked to Caster. "Caster though it would be a good idea to get me used to sustaining multiple Servants at once to increase my energy output. That way we can always make sure there's a Servant with me just in case. We're probably going to need them anyway. So, we need get you guys to fight people."

"...and there can be no enemy more fitting for heroic spirits such as yourself and Rider than the villains plaguing this city, correct?"

This Caster in front of him rubbed Cú the wrong way. He was never one for the sneaky methods their class employed in Holy Grail wars, but as long as he allowed to fight he was content with the situation. "Hey, hold up a sec. Not that I'm complaining or anything, but, what ever happened to keeping a low profile, Master?"

A pause. He looked around briefly and took a deep breath before answering. He knew that he had been putting off doing any actual work because he was unprepared.

"Well...I can't stay cautious forever." he looked to Caster again. "We're going to have to act sometime. Better late than never, hehe."

'Well, you can tick one villain off the list. Lung is pretty much done for. Last I saw he was unconscious and a Protectorate hero was on the way."

If his Master was more observant he would have noticed the scowl on Lancer's face, but he could only think of the topic at hand.

"That's great, but me and these guys here have been trying to find a way to track down other strong villains - before we got distracted a little - and I've come to the conclusion that we need help."

All the Servants in the room waited for him to elaborate, but he merely looked expectantly at Rider.

"Eh? Master, why are you looking at me like that? You're making me feel weird! Is it something on my face? Is it just my face?"

"You made a friend remember? Glory Girl."

'Master' kept smiling widely at Astolfo. After all, it was just yesterday morning they had met a member of New Wave. While they were wholly unprepared to tackle Brockton bay's atrocious villain cape population, New Wave had been on the scene for far longer and were widely respected. It made sense that they would be close to the Brockton Bay Protectorate. Fortunately for our heroes, one of them had mistaken Astolfo for a girl, to no one's shock, so it stood to reason for his Master that all he had to do was be allowed to work his charm on them and before they knew it, Astolfo would be expertly gleaming sensitive information from the Dallon sisters during their sleepovers. _It's full proof!_

"Oh, oh! Yeah, yeah, yeah! I should make a name for myself! I'll call myself, Hero!" "Taken actually." "I'll make myself indispensable to the Protectorate and help her fight villainy! Watch out Brockton Bay, here I come!"

"Wonderful! We can have you working with her as a new hero. Lancer can just keep prowling in the night and telling us what he finds-"

"Yeah, that reminds me. I inadvertently saved a group of smalltimers earlier tonight. They said they owed me one."

"-Perfect, we can use that. They would know about all the criminal stuff that goes on."

Before any more plans could be discussed, Caster interjected.

"Excuse me, Master, I am sorry to interrupt, but before any exciting events take off, it would be prudent for me to setup a workshop as quick as possible, no?"

"Ah, yes. Just use the...room I guess. I'll sleep somewhere else." Before he realised he had just given Caster the room the words had already left his mouth, but he didn't want to take them back.

"Wonderful! Thank you, Master."

"Really? Where are you going to sleep, then?"

"Um...I'll find a place." Cú just gave him a look.

"Oh, hey! Didn't you say some people owed you a favour?"


	4. Tyrone

Astolfo kept ringing the doorbell incessantly.

It could have been that no one was home, but with such a large home, it could have also very well been that someone was currently on their way over to the doorbell. When nobody answered immediately, Astolfo couldn't help but start to feel restless.

It was a strange sight. A pink haired girl clad in an elaborate armoured dress, hopping up and down on the side of the street while poking the call button at the gate of a wealthy home. Someone might have thought to go over and investigate if this was not the address of a family comprised entirely of super heroes —New Wave.

As one would expect, the neighbourhood was immaculate. The streets were spotless, swept routinely. All the properties on them were owned by people who were wealthy enough to keep them well maintained. Nothing looked out of place except for Rider.

Astolfo might have been distracted by all the beauty had he not been on his way to something far more interesting. Glory Girl had expressed a desire to partner up with him, but hadn't given a means by which to contact her. Naturally, the twelfth knight of Charlemagne went straight to her home after being given the address by his Master. His eyes could only be closed in contentment as he waited for this new adventure to begin.

Seconds after he started pounding on the intercom button by the gates, a voice barked through the speakers, angry and exasperated.

"Hey, asshole, you don't just get to show up at our home and keep ringing the bell until we come out! Get the hell out of here before I call the police."

The response was quick and terse. It was understandable that they would get intrusive people at their home every now and then. New Wave weren't just widely known, but they were also unmasked capes. Their identities were common knowledge. In fact, it would be more accurate to say that they were closer to celebrities than heroes. While some heroes might be instantly recognisable — during days when they patrolled on the street, maybe even stopping to wave at groups of fans — New Wave enjoyed the fame and perks that came with being heroes in their civilian lives as well. Of course they would be approached by many people.

This was fully understood by the senior members of the superhero family team, that is to say: the parents. PR was an important part of a hero's career, whether they liked it or not, and for an independent group of heroes not sponsored by the government, it was vital. New Wave received many donations from individuals and organisations for their work, much like a charity, because of their status in society. New Wave, like all celebrities, were not unfamiliar with dealing with members of the public. Although, being approached in their home was clearly out of line.

But Astolfo was someone who did not care for social boundaries, not because he was bold or daring, but because he could not conceive of the danger of social rejection, or even legal repercussion. His mind was at the mercy of his whims, and whatever he set his mind to, he saw to the end. He would have taken his Hippogriff to their front door if it were necessary.

Astolfo isn't fazed in the slightest by the hostile tone as he responds with zeal, "Oh, you don't know who I am? I met your daughter... No, sister? No, cousin! Yes, that's right. I met your cousin on Saturday," Astolfo could tell that the young man was probably Shielder. After all, there were only two men on the team. He was quite pleased with his deduction, "I know that because Glory Girl doesn't have any brothers. Anyway—"

"Wait...who are you? Are you from Vicky's school?" Realising that this wasn't some random fan, Shielder's anger was replaced with bewilderment.

"Oh! No. She flew up to me in the morning and we had a nice chat! She said she loved my Hippogriff and she was so nice and she wanted to fight crime with me!"

"What?" This caught him off guard for only a second.

Shielder had understood immediately who this was. Victoria had informed the family about a new cape that was flying around the city carelessly on Saturday; she had not informed them that she had extended an invitation to work alongside one another. Thus, the misunderstanding.

Team ups among independent heroes were rare. Heroes valued their image greatly, no matter how altruistic they were. You couldn't do good if people thought you were a villain. Coupled with the fact that the world of capes was full of dangerous people, this meant that heroes were particular about who they shared their time with in uniform. Allies were privy to personal information about each other, most important being unique details about powers. Even if one did not share information so freely, there would be ample time to observe someone as you fought alongside them. Because of this, capes had to be wary of who they associated themselves with. Especially New Wave, who had a very precious image to maintain. They could not be seen with anyone who could tarnish it.

Shielder knew Victoria would most likely get in trouble for this when her mother found out, but it didn't seem like this person was very rude, so he buzzed them in.

"I see. Why don't you come inside."

Astolfo skipped along the gravel driveway and past trimmed hedges shaped like animals. As he approached the door he straightened out his skirt and brushed down the white streak in his hair, preparing to do his best to act professional. When Shielder opens the door he's in costume, full New Wave colour pallet beaming Rider in the face.

"Ooh! You have matching costumes. That's so cool!" Astolfo looks him up and down in amazement. He wastes no time in giving him a dazzling compliment. "I bet you make the girls go wild when you go out together."

Even though Shielder is used to this kind of hero worship from normal people, he's taken aback slightly. "Ah, thanks. Uh...Come in. Why don't we talk in the living room," Suddenly, his voice takes a noticeable shift and he can't find his words.

He takes Astolfo to a homely living area, not too tacky, but clearly belonging to a high status family. Rider plops down unceremoniously on the comfiest looking couch and wiggles his butt— _vigorously_ —forming a warm imprint to lay on. Alarmingly, he found that the fabric of his skirt was riding up his legs with how far back he had shimmied his ass, so he closes his legs and puts his hands down on his lap to push down the fabric over his crotch. Shielder, meanwhile, was busy taking a seat in one of the chairs.

Shielder was not used to representing his family, but he was capable of speaking for them if needed. Even so, Shielder found himself wishing he didn't have to deal with this alone. In his mind, he was somehow absolutely sure this person had no ulterior motives, yet it still didn't mean he could make any promises. He was afraid he would do exactly that if he kept looking into her eyes. He finds himself taking a deep breath.

"Look, I'm not sure what Vicky told you, but New Wave rarely does work with anyone outside of the protectorate. It puts a lot of unnecessary risk in our hands," At Rider's bemused expressions, Shielder hurries to correct himself. "Don't get me wrong. You look like a fine hero, but..."

"I get it! You don't need some diva running about and making you look bad. I completely understand where your coming from," Rider adds.

"Yeah! You get it. So—"

"I personally can't stand those types of people. Luckily for you, I'm an excellent judge of character," Shielder's voice went unheard as Astolfo listed his best qualities. "I also have an unshakable code of ethics that I always abide by. I am a knight after all. I would never willingly deceive anyone for my own gain," Rider added proudly, as he adjusted the hem of his skirt discreetly.

"And, best of all, I have plenty~ of experience," Rider punctuated his statement with a wink and pointing to his puffed up chest with his thumb.

"Really? We've never heard of a cape like you."

Shielder was skeptical now, of this boast, and of her act. It felt to him like delusions of grandeur. A knight was a peculiar thing for a hero to call themselves, but there would always be Myrddins and Mouse Protectors out there he supposed. Still, surely, people would have known about a cape who rode around on a griffon.

"Trust me," Rider gave out a cocky laugh as he looked at his nails smugly, "I've been around." The look on Shielder's face told him that he wasn't taking him seriously, so Rider couldn't help but blurt out all his achievements in an attempt to prove himself. "I've defeated a giant; I've been to the moon; I've even been turned into a tree."

 _'Right. This girl is clearly insane.'_ And just like that, any charm Astolfo had gained with him was lost.

Realising this, Astolfo backtracked with a nervous laugh. "Haha! No, just kidding. But I totally beat that giant. I've actually got a lot of victories under my belt."

"I thought you told Vicky you were new to the cape scene?"

Astolfo had clearly lost control of the situation. It dawned on him that being a spy was much harder than he thought. Keeping up with his mouth was simply to difficult for him. However, his Master had entrusted him this task. Astolfo couldn't fail, there were bigger things at stake. The lives of potentially all the humans on Earth depended on them. He couldn't fail them. He needed to get in with New Wave, no matter the cost.

Unfortunately, being backed into a corner, Astolfo wasn't thinking straight.

He got up from his seat, turned around, and bent over at the hip.

"What...are you doing?"

Rider just shook his bottom.

Shielder was completely befuddled. Astolfo had seemingly got up from his seat to bend over for no reason. It only added further to the confusion when he turned his head — with a dazzling, toothy, smile — and waved innocently with his fingers. The whole action was so cute that Shielder completely missed what it was meant to be—a poor attempt at seduction. As he waited for a response, so too did Rider, and they were stuck in staring contest.

Who can say how long it would have gone on for had Victoria Dallon not arrived at that very moment.

"..."

The silence extended for quite a lot longer as whatever greeting she had prepared died in her throat, and the excitement in her step faltered.

She was called by her cousin when the cape from a couple of days ago arrived at her house. She thought it was weird they had come directly to her house, but still made her way over eagerly.

Victoria rounded on Shielder, angry in way only women could be, "What's going on here?"

"Wha...!" Shielder was still confused but was now also struggling to find a reason for why he was suddenly on the defensive for seemingly no reason. "W...w-we were just talking about how she wanted to work with us." His hand were spread wide with his palms up, as if saying 'I have about just as much a clue as you have here'. Unfortunately, it didn't save him from his cousin. "You know she can't ju—"

"Eric, why are you talking to her? And who said I was speaking on behalf of everyone?" Victoria was relentless and Eric didn't know what was going on. Arguments with family were very common, especially between the sexes; as with all men, to Shielder it felt as though he were crawling through the shores of Normandy. He sat there dumbfounded at his cousin but quickly relented with a sigh. Victoria was old enough that she and her friends could get up to whatever they wanted without his babysitting anymore. He'd be damned if he was going to get any flak when Brandish found out, "Go hang out with your guy friends."

With a shake of his head, Shielder left the room. Victoria turned to Astolfo, apologetic. "Jeez, I hope he was kind to you. He didn't make you do anything weird did he?"

Just as quickly as Glory Girl had gone from welcoming to blistering, Astolfo went from enticing to innocent —he didn't deny one word as he sat there rubbing his hand on the back of his head, "Oh, hey! Yeah...He didn't trust me at all. I mean, why couldn't he just take what I said at face value?"

Glory Girl gave a bark of laughter. "Ha! I know right? Sometimes guys just ask too many questions."

"Hey, I don't think I've told you how much I like the costume."

"Thanks, but it's got nothing on you. You've got to tell me who made yours. I don't think I've seen anything that good from parian."

If Astolfo had any sense, he might have noticed the first piece of information that might have been of value, but he and his new best friend had already started to hit it off.

* * *

In the less wealthy parts of the city, Lancer was walking on the sidewalk.

The battle that took place last night had certainly not been kind to the docks. There were already tapes put up around the damaged parts of the street. The traffic was redirected elsewhere and it was even difficult for pedestrians to find a path through the roadworks as the damage extended to the sidewalk as well. The citizens here were used to these types of things but it was still a major disruption to their daily lives when it caused such high amounts of collateral damage. There were no bright or happy faces to be seen.

"Damn, Lancer," a young man said, dragging out the first syllable in a childish manner. "You must hit hard."

Their Master had impulsively given their newly summoned Caster the room they were staying in to use as a workshop, so now he was going to see if he could room with a gang of teenage villains Lancer had met last night. A bold move. This was after finally resolving to get his shit together and do whatever mysterious task they were here to do in the first place. He could at least thank Caster for that.

"Yeah. Us Servants are a rowdy lot," he said dismissively.

"Hey, man..." Lancer had always been relatively agreeable in the anime, as long as you weren't draining orphans dry in your basement, but even then...

It didn't seem like there would be any problems with him. "Did I do something wrong?"

"Master, don't take this the wrong way," His voice had taken on the tone one might use when trying not offend someone, but wanting to power through anyway, "But what exactly are doing here?" Lancer had stopped walking, and faced his Master with patronising look.

"What?" His Master looked surprised.

"You don't seem like the fighter type — not many mages are — but you don't even look like you know what you're doing. I'm not really a 'sit and think' type of guy, but have you even stopped to consider how us Heroic Spirits are able to be summoned?" Lancer looked straight into his eyes, not unkindly, as he tried to get him to think. "Why we have knowledge about the grail war? Why we still have classes? I don't mind being a Lancer, but it gets me thinking. It'd be nice to have a Master who worried about that stuff too."

"Hey..." A weak protest more akin to a whine was all he could manage in response to Lancer's biting criticism. He did not know how to react to Lancer's seeming displeasure with him, but at the very least he thought he had to try to defend himself. "I'm not cut out for this, you know. I am trying."

A sigh was his response. Not that he could blame him, that was a pathetic excuse. "Well, you just sit tight while I go fix your problem, okay?"

"Tch...," A smug grin told him that Lancer was simply being an ass, but he could help feeling a little slighted. Looking into his eyes, he felt a need to prove himself as a capable Master. Despite his anxiety he prodded forward towards the hideout of the dangerous criminals. "C'mon man."

It didn't take long for them to find the Undersiders' hideout. All it took was for Lancer to wander around near last night's battleground, and eventually he felt the faint, foreign, sensation all capes had in a factory building not too far off.

They knocked on the door and waited when, suddenly, from Lancer's point of view it looked like his Master was having a seizure.

"Shit. I forgot a mask," he bit out, his voice lowered in a harsh whisper, "Again! Goddammit!" He looked into the sky as he dragged out the swear, "What do I do?!"

"Huh? I thought you were doing that as a sign of trust?" Lancer had summoned his armour and his spear in a shower of light, but not before taking off his shirt and handing it over.

His Master took it hesitantly. It was Lancer's Hawaiian shirt. He gave out a pathetic sob. "I guess I'll just go kill myself then," he remarked as he tied it around his mouth and nose like a bandana. He looked up at Lancer for approval, but he was already laughing at him.

"Ha! No need to go looking for a mask now Master, I don't think we'd ever find anything that would suit you more!" Lancer guffawed. There was a significant disparity between the two as they stood side by side. His Master could only hope that he wasn't ridiculed to his face.

A series of hurried steps brought their attention back to the door as it opened. On the other side was the blonde girl from last night, looking irritated, although she didn't voice it. "Get inside."

Having Lancer standing outside in his suit was very conspicuous, but, as expected, it made it harder for him to be ignored. As the villain ushered them in quickly her concerns were more focused on 'who did these idiots lead to our hideout' rather than 'who is this random guy I've never seen before'. She led them up dirty and ruined stairs, into a living space more suitable for college students than villains. It might have looked homey if it weren't for the pair of viscous dogs growling at the newcomers.

"It's just the guy from last night."

They were faced with the four young villains that comprised the Undersiders and fifth girl, who Lancer recognised. Everyone but the kid, Regent, looked tense. Between the black skull mask of the biker dude; the scowl on the aggressive dog lady's mask; the pissed looking female with no mask (to hide the contempt in her eyes); and the gargoyle-like grin on the tiny male model, the only non-super powered person in the room wanted to slink behind the demigod at his side.

"Isn't this supposed to be a secret hideout," drawled the youngest from the couch.

"Who the hell do you think you are just showing up like this." The girl in the dog mask was much less cool about the entrance.

Her dogs seemed to agree, because they practically foaming at the mouth. The dots connected for Lancer that these were smaller versions of the monster from last night. They were strong enough to savage one of the strongest brutes in Brockton — possibly the world — like an attack dog would any normal man, in their engorged states. Cú gave them a look.

Their instincts were telling them to stay away from this man in particular —the other one sweat so much fear they would have attacked on sight. Animals had a keen sense for the supernatural. Not only does Lancer's state as a Servant make him overwhelming for creatures that have any spiritual sense, but his beastial scent also gave off warning. They didn't look like they were about to pounce on either of them, but they stood with their legs coiled.

"Okay...so you're probably wandering wh—" **Bark!** His Master tried to step forward but the dogs rounded on him in an instant. "Ah~!"

Though they didn't attack.

Lancer didn't even bother to hide his uproarious laughter. He knew he was giving his Master a hard time for being a wimp, but it was impossible not to laugh at that. He wasn't even sure people could make such sounds.

"Listen up," Lancer spoke up before the more serious members of the group could ask any questions. "I'm calling in that chit you owe me. I need you to find a place for this guy here to stay for the foreseeable future. " He jerked his thumb behind his back, where his Master had retreated. Everyone was greeted with a sheepish wave. "Don't let these dogs maul him, alright."

"Wait—" Lancer then left, evading the questions and protests that were surely about to follow before anyone could stop him. It looked like he had wanted to use his favour to help someone he knew, but didn't care enough to see it through. In reality, he had turned into spiritual form as soon as he was out of sight and remained at his Master's side.

Without any consideration given to their thoughts or even their ability to carry out such a request, the Undersiders were left perturbed, insulted, and in Tattletale's case, intrigued. Without Lancer there to blame, all eyes turned the man currently trying to covertly hide behind the couch.

"Uh...hey, how violent are those dogs?" He asked the boy playing video games. He heard a snort elsewhere. "I know they probably won't bite, but I kind a have a little fear of dogs." Tattletale sniggered. Ty started to feel a little self conscious.

"Nah, don't worry yourself. They won't attack unless Bitch tells them to." This wasn't meant as reassurance however.

"Oh, okay then. Thanks." The statement had reassured him.

His reasoning was that her friends would know Hellhound better than any information a computer could give him. This boy seemed agreeable enough. If he said the dogs wouldn't attack, then he would definitely feel safe lowering his guard. His heart had been racing and his legs were exhausted from being tensed for so long.

"Also, who the fuck are you?" The blasé tone made it clear he wasn't trying to be aggressive.

"Huh?" Only now did he remember how rude he and Lancer just were. He probably owed them an explanation. "Oh, I'm," He almost gave his real name, "Tyrone." That was the name he had decided would help him fit in the most in America. Unfortunately, he had told too many strangers that name for him to easily change it —he didn't want to there to be any awkward encounters where someone would feel like they had been lied to — so he shortened it to, "Ty."

Tattletale grinned briefly; Ty reciprocated enthusiastically — putting the sniggering from earlier out of his mind — simply happy that he was being received kindly, his earlier fears seemingly forgotten.

He extended his hand over the couch and around for Regent to shake, who slowly shook it with his index and thumb.

He extended his hand to the others without moving from behind the couch, but no one moved to shake it. With an awkward frown, he lowered it. "I'm sorry, do you guys not want me here?"

The way Ty had been acting up until this point would have gotten very different results with anyone else, but his friend's performance with Lung had made things different. Grue could only sigh as he accepted what was, in the end, a relatively simple ask.

"Alright...I guess we're stuck with you then, no offence. I'm Grue, I guess."

"Oh, no need. I looked you all up. But not in a creepy way. It was because you're all criminals."

"Alright. Well—"

"Oh. My. God! I am _so_ sorry, I did _not_ mean for that to sound as judgmental as it did. I mean—"

"We really don't give a shit—"

"It's fine—"

"—I owed to myself to do little research, you know? You are technically criminals though, even though I'm sure... _absolutely_ _sure_ that you probably just made one mistake that got you on the wrong side of the law," he looked to Bitch as he said that, not without a small amount of trepidation, "and you too, I'm sure," Regent, "You in a couple of days probably," The girl in the drab colours.

No one talked for a couple of seconds after that.

"Look, I don't know who you are, but if you're going to be staying with us, you might as well take your... _mask_ off." Grue and the others took their own masks off as he said that, the caution no longer needed. The bug eyed girl took a second longer than everyone else.

"Yeah, this thing is stupid," He had spent too long with his nose in Lancer's musk to feel comfortable in his sexual orientation. Also with everyone's masks off he could see the judgment in their eyes. The Hawaiian bandana wasn't doing his dignity any favours, "I promise I won't be trouble."

"Good, good. We don't want that either. You won't be talking with us in our civilian identities so I won't bother with names. I...hope you have a nice stay." The last sentence was intoned with a mix of confusion and no small amount of frustration. "Bitch, put the dogs back away..."

And with that, Ty was left alone. Without any reason to approach, it was surprisingly difficult to talk to anyone. Socialising was always so much harder after the initial greeting. The fact that they were younger actually made Tyrone more hesitant to approach them for idle talk.

He walked over to Tattletale.

Ty knew these kids were villains, but for him the particulars of this world's laws weren't that important to him. He had no interest in arresting them. In fact, he wouldn't mind befriending them. They seemed nice. Still, he knew to keep his wits — what little he had — about him. These 'kids' were part of the world that included people like Lung, and Kaiser. He had seen crime movies before. If they had taught him anything, it was how dangerous it was to get involved with criminals in any way, even without powers getting to their heads.

He wondered briefly if powers would get them to act more like super villains, or if they just committed normal crimes, like the Undersiders, but with powers. Obviously, people like Kaiser were a little more ideologically motivated than other criminals. Did that make him more dangerous, or less? That line of thinking was dropped when he remembered his skin tone. More dangerous. Probably. Kaiser probably didn't like the Undersiders too. Then again, Grue's mask covered his entire face, so it was up in the air whether or not Kaiser had any racial beef with the group.

"Um...did you want something?" Tattletale was staring at him expectantly.

"Oh, yeah. Sorry. I wanted to ask you something. Do you have any food? I'm hungry."

"Yeah, check the fridge."

"Cheers." He then went to check the fridge for chocolate.

 _Maybe Kaiser can tell he's black by the sound of his voice...But when would they speak...God, I wish the villains here had some sort of monthly evil gathering, that would be so cool...I think I'd want to be a villain if that were true..._


End file.
